The popularity of a construction career has plummeted among young people, according to new official figures.
The sector was the seventh most popular profession among 22- to 29-year-olds in 2011 but in the latest sounding by the Office for National Statistics, it has dropped five places, falling to 12th.
According to the figures, construction lost more young talent than any other industry, making it one of only two jobs to fall out of the top 10 (the other being customer service roles).
Top job among the age group both in 2017 and in 2011 was sales assistants and cashiers.
The ONS said that while the variety of jobs available has grown with the advent of digital technology, the jobs young people aspire to had not changed.
It also revealed a sizeable difference between the jobs that 16- to 21-year-olds dreamed of having, versus the realities facing 22- to 29-year-olds.
Of the top five dream jobs chosen by 16- to 21-year-olds, those in the artistic, literary and media sphere topped the list, followed by teaching and educational roles, being a health professional, working for the protective services (police and fire officer), and nursing and midwifery. Construction was not among the top five.
Meanwhile, half of 16- to 17-year-olds expected to earn £35,000 by the age of 30 if they had achieved a degree and £25,000 if they did not have a degree.
Data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) showed that the average salary of a 30-year-old was £23,700.
The latest findings from the ONS appear to contradict a recent survey by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), which declared that the popularity of construction as a career choice seemed to be growing, with more than one in four young people giving the sector top marks for attractiveness.
The report, Changing Perceptions: the growing appeal of a career in construction was based on a survey of 1,000 young people, 500 parents and 800 guidance career professionals.
